1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for use in orthopedic surgery and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for providing a prosthesis having a modular soft tissue coupling mechanism. The soft tissue coupling mechanism is a member configured to be optionally coupled to the implant and includes a fixation flange capable of being coupled to soft tissues.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
It is generally known in the art to provide prostheses that replace or reinforce various portions of bone during an orthopedic surgical procedure. However, the current prior art prostheses along with the associated surgical components and instruments utilized during orthopedic surgery may suffer from many disadvantages.
For example, because the extent of degradation is not always evident until during the surgery; extensive bone resection may be necessary. Additionally, etiologies such as bone tumors or those requiring revision of an implanted joint require significant bone removal which may remove soft tissue fixation sites. In these cases, soft tissue fixation to the prosthesis may or may not be necessary. To provide for soft tissue attachment, some replacement joint components provide an integral flange configured to accept soft tissue attached to a lateral surface of the prosthetic replacement joint head. These fixed fixation flanges, however, may not provide the proper locational adaptivity needed during the orthopedic surgical procedure and leave the surgeon with little or no options as to soft tissue attachment.
An example of an orthopedic transplant is a knee joint prosthesis which typically comprises a femoral component and a tibial component. The femoral component and the tibial component are designed to be surgically attached to the distal end of the femur and the proximal end of the tibia, respectively. The femoral component is further designed to cooperate with the tibial component in simulating the articulating motion of an anatomical knee joint.
Motion of a natural knee is kinematically complex. During a relatively broad range of flexion and extension, the articular or bearing surfaces of a natural knee experience rotation, medial and lateral angulation, translation in the sagittal plane, rollback and sliding. Knee joint prostheses, in combination with ligaments and muscles, attempt to duplicate this natural knee motion, as well as absorb and control forces generated during the range of flexion. Depending on the degree of damage or deterioration of the knee tendons and ligaments, however, it may be necessary for a knee joint prosthesis to eliminate one or more of these motions in order to provide adequate stability.
What is needed then is a knee prosthesis and associated surgical components for use in orthopedic surgery which does not suffer from the above-mentioned disadvantages. This in turn, will provide a prosthesis which is stable and secure and increases the overall flexibility for a surgeon to fix soft tissues. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide such a prosthesis and associated surgical components for use in orthopedic surgery.